It may not be the national sport, and the reaction was hardly comparable to an Irish grand slam rugby win. But in the traditional cricketing redoubts of North County Dublin they were celebrating Ireland's most famous win ever, and toasting local hero John Mooney, who scored the winning runs that did for England in the Cricket World Cup.

Albert Harper, the secretary of Balbriggan Cricket Club, predicted "mayhem" in the clubhouse as supporters celebrated Ireland's astonishing victory – and the role played by their local man.

"It means so much to us here that John scored the winning runs against the English. I first saw John when he was 14 and 15 hitting incredible shots like a Test cricketer," Harper said. "Even then we knew he was someone special."

Harper said Mooney's role in the historic triumph was all the more poignant, because his father John 'Ranger' Mooney played for Balbriggan and died after batting practice in August 1993.

"John 'Ranger' will be looking down today with great pride on his son's contribution to Ireland's amazing win. His dad died when he was only 49," he said.

Harper added that the win was not only a boost for Irish cricket but also the entire nation at a time of gloom across the island.

"This victory should also prompt the new government to take Irish cricket seriously. We have just laid the wickets down in a new national cricket stadium at Malahide, just a few miles away from here. We need a stadium that can be fit to hold Test matches, and after today the new government should sit up and take notice at what their cricket team has done for our country."

Ireland stunned England with a run chase that practically defied belief. At one point bookmakers were offering 150-1 for an Irish win. One presenter on RTÉ radio today compared Ireland defeating England in cricket to the English winning a hurling match against an Irish county.

The newly elected prime minister, Enda Kenny, said the team's victory in India would lift the nation's spirit. "Ireland's victory marks one of the finest days in Irish sport, and my warmest congratulations go out to each and every member of the squad after this historic win.

"Their supreme effort will lift the spirits of every single Irish person, no matter where they are in the world. Ireland's performance is truly inspiring, demonstrating that, with self-belief, the apparently impossible can be made possible, and that real change can occur."

Another established club, Cliftonville in north Belfast, said the result called into question the decision by the ICC to omit associate nations from the 2015 World Cup – a move that looks set to prevent Ireland playing in the tournament next time around. "An absolutely brilliant result, and great to see, after all the talk about the associate nations not being good enough. Also big congratulations to Paul Stirling, who grew up playing his cricket for our club from all the boys at the Ville," the club said in a statement. Irish rugby union captain Brian O'Driscoll also issued a statement this evening praising the exploits of Ireland's cricketers.

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